The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-05-25
SOLDIERS AT TABLE.
The Honolulu Rifles Entertained al
Dinner at the Hawaiian Hotel

Last evening Major V. V. Ashford
gave dinner to the Honolulu Rifles at !
the Hawaiian Hotel, to celebrate the
birthday anniversary of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria The battalion met at
the Armory at 8 80 o'clock in fatigue
uniform, and then marched to the Hotel, |
arriving there at o'clock. About one
hundred sat down to the dinner. The |
tables were bountifully spread with good
things, and reflected credit on the Hotel
manager, Mr.. w. S. Bartlett. At the |
head of the room was hung Hawaiian
and also a British ensign, while at the
lower end was a stack of rifles, from
which was suspended a drum. Major
Ashford presided.
After the good things had been dis
posed of the Major presented the prizes
won during the afternoon at the bat
talon target practice. The recipients OF
the prizes were called upon for speeches,
and briefly responded.
The health of His Majesty the King
was proposed by Major Ashford. He
said they all knew that His Majesty was
a friend of the corps, and that friendship
was reciprocated The King himself
named the corps, and had always been
very active in his support of the organ
ization and in its progress. Every favor
they had received came through His
Majesty. He was sorry to say that
those who should be the friends of the
corps were really enemies, and were try
ing to break them up. If the King had
listened to all that had been said they
might not now have been in existence.
But he was still their friend, and they
owed their position to His Majesty's
good sense, feeling and fellowship.
The toast was drunk in the most en-
thusiastic manner.
Private Kinney was called upon to re-
spond, and did so in very able manner.
He was sure that everyone from his
heart would say that in everything to
contribute to the prosperity and welfare
of the Kingdom they would lend a
shoulder and give their aid; and stand
up to the last before they would see the
independence of this Kingdom go.
The next toast was the health OF Her
Majesty Queen Victoria. This was
drunk in rousing manner, and GOOD
Save the Queen" was sung by all stand
ing.
Lieut. G.. W. Ashford responded. He
said the Queen was the greatest Sover-
eign known In the history of the present
day. There was not her like wearing a
crown upon earth. She was known the
world over, not only for the extent of
her domain, but for her womanly vir-
tues. The Queen was the fourth of
British Sovereigns who had reigned for
fifty years. She was most endeared to
her people and the nations of the world
by knowing how to reign without ruling.
Lieut. Ashford spoke at length in cry
able manner, and was frequently inter
rupted by applause.
The toast of ''Our Guests was re-
sponded to by Major A. B. Hayley, who,
after expressing the pleasure it gave
him at being present, referred to the re-
cent ruI1Or OF LI0 QlSDanQm0nG OF Cn0
Rifles. He emphatically denied the
truth of such rumor. In concluding,
he complimented the Rifles on their
proficiency, and said they were a splen-
did body of men.
Two of the guests of the evening are
members OF the Seventh Regiment,
New York, and one of them in a very
neat speech expressed much pleasure at
being present on the occasion.
Captain Hebbard proposed the health
of Major Ashford, and it was drunk in
the most enthusiastic manner. The
Major responded in very appropriate
terms.
Other toasts followed. The dinner
was an exceedingly pleasant affair. At
the present time the Honolulu Rifles
are in very pros porous condition, new
members being added every week.
There is an enthusiasm among the
members that has never before been at
tanned.